LocalGov Digital has launched a new tool, the Usability Dashboard, allowing councils to sign up tasks across their websites following which digital practitioners or members of the public can carry out simple tests and provide feedback.

Through crowd-sourcing usability testing, councils can gather an objective view of where improvements to the user experience are needed.

The Usability Dashboard is a collaboration between Simon Gray, Corporate Web / Self-Service Development Officer at Birmingham City Council, and members of the LocalGov Digital steering group.

According to Gray: “I’d started creating the Usability Dashboard in-house at Birmingham to help us gather feedback on more of the user journeys across our website.

“Collaborating with LocalGov Digital on the development has helped to widen the tool out into something which can be used by any council, for any of their tasks. The more councils use it, the more feedback which is given, the more useful it is to all in developing excellent digital information and services.”

Since the Dashboard has been released in beta, it can continue to be developed based on feedback on the functionality.

Phil Rumens, Web Development Manager at West Berkshire Council, has said that: “Our aim is to build a toolkit which councils and practitioners can use to best suit the digital needs of the people they’re serving and this tool makes a great addition, joining the existing Content Standard.”